Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-05-11

Dark, scrutinizing me from head to foot
''You are a very brazen-faced wo-
man." said carefully keeping between
her and the door. For if she would get
away and pawn the things Maria had
taken there would be terrible explo-
sion.
SWELL" said Mrs. Dark with an
irritating pretense at resignation, Il
suppose hard names are all in the days
work. What wages are you going to give
me for this job of looking after your
wife?"
1 WINGED at this.
Hand over the property you have
stolen.' 1 angrily exclaimed. "You
can't escape, for the door is guarded. {"
THAT is all right. But stolen," The
abandoned woman was actually winking
at me. That's hard word, too. How
many kleptomaniacs have YOU got
stored about the house?n
"Five including yourself"
'"They'n carry off every stick of fur
niture if you don't watch them" said
Mrs. Dark laughing. The very idea of
putting them in separate roomsl It's
just like a man. Shall l help you TO
make the others fork out? Set thief TO
catch thief, you know.r
l jumped eagerly at the suggestion,
happening to come TO terms with Mrs.
Dark after the rest of my tormentors
had been got rid Of She undertook the
management, and, L must admit, went
about her work in a very business-like
way. In a wonderfully short space of
actx 4f .AI -.
drawing-room, all sitting down except
Mrs. Heslep, who preferred standing.
l suppose she was vexed at having been
left in the hall, but the real reason came
out presently.
''1t's no reason trying to soap it over"
began Mrs. Dark, looking round the
circle; ''we're all kleptomaniacs. It's
not our fault, of course, for we did not
make ourselves, SO there's no harm in
owning to it. And what we are is one
thing, and what people think of us is
another. How is this gentleman here
10 know I'm not a humbug? He adyer-
tised for a kleptomaniac, and he wants
the real genuine article, l take it. But
how is he TO know he has got his
moneys worth unless he tests us. An
bad as vulgar thief. So what | pro-
pose is that the five of us should empty
our pockets, chignons, and such like
places of resort for missing articles,
for" said Mrs. Dark, smiling compla-
Gently at the other four, ''I'll lay a tan
ner to brass farthing, ladies, you've !
not been idle
Though the terms of this proposal |
were considered Objectionable, it was |
eventually agreed to, Mrs. Heslop |
strongly protesting on the ground that |
she had 10 opportunity of showing her |
powers. However, / told her that unless |
she took part in the competition she |
would have no chance of being appoint
ed to the post, as she had no valuable !
prize to set off against the salary, she
recognized the expedIency of yielding.
Mrs. Heslop was the first who was
called upon to exhibit what she had got.
And here little difficulty arose which
expiainea hsE objection TO sitting dowR.
It turned out that she had improved
1 believe, is the correct
my gong, and accom-
panied by Mrs. Dark, she had to retire
in order to produce it. A small picture
and several pairs of gloves completed
her spoils. She was very wroth with
James, who she declared had grossly
insulted her by stationing himself in
the hall TO watch her, just as if she
We're q common thief.
She had scarcely finished speaking
when the door opened and, to my hor-
ror, Maria walked in. What she
of me, sitting there with these
five women, cannot even conjecture.
For reasons which will be rendered OBJ
vious the subject has never been dis
cuSSed between us. She looked as If,
by some mistake, she entered the wrong
house.
Il see you are engaged" she said at
length, ard was about to withdraw.
| was much too confused to speak or
move. But Mrs. Dark begged her to
remain and she did remain. She sat
down close to me, and watched and lis
tened like one in a dream. / learned
that Uncle Joe had had an
attack of gout; hence Maria's return at
an Unexpectedly early hour.
There is no need to describe in detail
the process of disgorging. Miss Mildew
produced my ivory paper-knife, a num-
Der of stamps, several packets Of post
cards and two books; Mrs. Stone very
nearly the whole contents of the plate
basket. and Miss White many objects of
bric-a-brac, and-without a blush on
her mournful face-my gold vasel All
the things were laid on table which l
had cleared for that purpose and set in
the center of the cirle. As she gazed at
her superior pile Miss White put away
her handkerchief and smiled, while the
other three looked as if they could have
eaten her.
''And now it's my turn," said Mrs.
Dark pleasantly.
With which she emptied huge
pocket into >her lap, and there came
out all the jewelry which |
had previously seen. Among 1t L
noticed for the first time Mrs. Arbuth-
lot's bracelet. In my dismay L could
help stealing a glance at Maria, but,
except for look of wonderment, her
beautiful face was as calm as if the
whole transaction had no interest for
ler.
Il think you will admit, ladies'"
,aid Mrs. Dark, with satisfaction, THAT
I've licked the lot of YOU"
There were arguments, of course;
here were many reasons given for set
ing aside the verdict. And when logic
'ailed, abuse was poured out without
stint. The four defeated ladies declared
themselves to be the victims of an infa-
nous conspiracy originated by. Mrs.
Dark. But in the end we escorted them
tQ1
White weeping copiously. Looking
1ack at their conduct-which l can do
,almly now-I must say that my own
ceiling for them is one of pity. am
certain that they had no more
,ense of wrong-doing than poor Maria
las.
When they were gone | interyied
Mrs. Dark alone, for her behavior had
.aised certain suspicious in my mind.
s'May / ask your objectg" l inquired